Forgive and Forget
by TsukiChanChan
Summary: After Fairy Tail successfully manages to keep Jellal in their care, the ex-dark mage has no choice but to stay with him when his guilt prevents him to do otherwise, even though he'd rather still be within the confines of his old jail cell. The guild has nominated Erza to deal with the sulking mage. Can she convince him to move on from his mistakes just as she did before?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

 **This time it's Jerza, though. I've been reading a book that has soooo much imagery, something which I'm not good at incorporating into my stories. I'm trying to kind of use that element, but there's barely any here, or maybe none at all. SHRUG. Anyway, this one's a Jerza story. I hope it turns out okay. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _He hears the footsteps first. They are impressively silent, but it is enough to disrupt the quiet he had grown accustommed to. A few grunts and heavy falls and then someone's knocking on the door._

 _"Hey." Someone hisses urgently, and Jellal, curiosity piqued, moves to the door. There's glass, but he can't see through it although the strangers on the other side can. He blinks at it, trying to imagine who it could be, but no faces come to mind._

 _"Move out the way of the door, dammit!" A second voice whispers, and Jellal complies. THe door swings open, quickly, and two women move into the room, quickly shutting the door behind them._

 _One, the oldest of the two, is a stunning woman with purple hair so dark that it's almost black and amber eyes that regard him with some emotion he can't place. Her companion, seemingly much more excited, has an appearance much more bubbly. Her short, straight hair is bright pink, a startling contrast in his gray cell, and her eyes magenta. Both wear black outfits designed for stealth and infiltration._

 _The older one scowls, disregarding Jellal as she searches the cell. "You haven't even tried to escape?" She asks, baffled and slightly irritated._

 _"Ultear?" Jellal exclaims, baffled. "What are you-"_

 _"Answer the question." Ultear snaps, and Jellal instinctively does so._

 _"I don't want to." Jellal briskly answers. "But what are you-"_

 _"What?" The pinkette asks, stepping closer to Jellal. Her sparkling eyes quickly darted to her partner. "Ultear, that kind of defeats the point of us being here."_

 _"Do you think I'm giving him a choice?" Ultear responds, finally collapsing on Jellal's cot with an exasperated sigh. "His file said he didn't resist arrest, but I thought it was just an act to get out of jail early for good behavior."_

 _She looks at Jellal, eyebrow arched and eyes full of suspicion. "You're not hiding anything are you?"_

 _"What? No. And what the hell are you doing here?!" Jellal nearly shouts. "And who are you?" He asks the other girl, who eyes him in blatant annoyance._

 _"Meredy. And don't shout so loud!" She chastises, a small frown tugging at her lips. "I can't use magic in here, so let's just... calm down. Things are complicated enough."_

 _"I'm surprise you even remember me." Ultear whispers, her expression softening as she stares at the ceiling. "I'd apologize now, but we have to find some way out."_

 _"You just came through the door."_

 _"And we left the keys outside in a hurry." Meredy responds, nervously laughing. "And the door's closed. And there's no door handle here, so..."_

 _"So this is an escape attempt?" Jellal asks, nodding his head in understanding._

 _"Yes." Ultear confirms, swinging her legs off the bed. She rises to her feet, clapping her hands together. "So help us look for an escape route."_

 _"You must've not heard me when I said I have no intention of leaving."_

 _"You must've not heard me when I said you don't have a choice." Ultear growled. "So get up,_ now."

" _Or?" Jellal questions, sitting down on the floor. As if he would go anywhere with that canniving woman and her new lackey. She is the reason he's sitting in the jail cell in the first place. Who knows what she's planning this time?_

 _"Do you think that a scrawny, half-starved prisoner like you could beat a woman like me, well trained in magic and combat who is completely healthy?"_

 _"She's really pugnacious." Meredy whispers to Jellal, squatting down next to him. He scoots away from her and she giggles as if nothing is wrong._

 _"You're modest as ever." Jellal says, rolling his eyes. Ultear angrily huffs and goes back to searching, whispering incoherent phrases under her breath._

 _Meredy's eyes slide to Jellal, and although there's nothing calculative about her expression, he still uncomfortably fidgets under her glance._

 _"She's changed." Meredy says, and she pulls Jellal's gaze to her. "Ever since we lost to Fairy Tail, she's been different. In a good way."_

 _"She's evil."_

 _"So were you." Meredy softly whispers, eyes falling to the floor. "Which is why you should understand her."_

 _"I don't understand," Jellal starts, looking at an oblivious Ultear. "How she can do so much wrong and just, live with herself. How she can just let herself walk free and be unburdened."_

 _"You're wrong." Meredy says, shaking her head. "If she had no burden, she would not have kept me around and she would not be here for you. She feels like she has something to repay the world. At least she's actually_ trying _to do some right instead of sulking in a cell."_

 _"I'm paying the time that's been sentenced to me."_

 _"Jellal, you're scheduled for execution." Meredy says, eyes wide and hands moving furiously. "Surely, Fairy Tail gave you some over exaggerated speech about living and righting your wrongs?"_

 _"How is Fairy Tail?"_

 _Meredy frowns, obviously angry at Jellal for changing the subject. Still, her hands fall back to her side. "Gone, mostly. Their signature members, anyway- even the master."_

 _"Dead?"_

 _"I don't know, probably. Tenrou was attacked, and we left before we could get caught in the middle." Mereday sighs, shaking her head. "They've been gone for a year now."_

 _"A year?" Jellal murmurs, the faces of the guild members flashing in his mind. All of them, gone?_

 _Meredy looks back to Ultear, smile returning. "Well, I better go help her." She reaches a head towards the ex-dark mage, not faltering even when he doesn't grab it. "Oh, come on." She scoffs, and she firmly grips his hand and pulls him off the floor._

 _"Ultear!" She whispers loudly, causing the older woman to turn around._

 _"What?"_

 _"Found anything?"_

 _Ultear scowls, punching a nearby wall. "No. Damn it! There's_ nothing _here!"_

 _"Which means we can escape the fun way!" Meredy squeals, clapping her hands over her small chest._

 _"Which is?" Ultear gruffly questions, softly knocking on the walls with the elbows._

 _"Surely some backup will come and try to detain us and punish us for breaking into a prisoner's cell, right? We push straight through them." Meredy says, eyes brightening at the idea. She looks to Jellal. "We just have to make sure he won't get hurt."_

 _"I'm not going with you!" Jellal scowls, impatiently tapping his foot. "How many times do I have to tell you that? You get yourself out of our own mess. You always try to involve others with your stupid endeavors!"_

 _He stares pointedly at Ultear, whose expression remains unusually calm and still. She regards Jellal with a neutral stare that manages to almost send shivers down Jellal's spine._

 _"You may babble about how you want to waste the little time you have left in your life wallowing in resentment and self-loathe all you want." She slowly says, as if speaking to a child. "And I am kind enough to not let you do that to yourself. When people reach out to you, take their hand."_

 _She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Goodness, now I sound like Fairy Tail."_

 _Meredy shushes her, oblivious to the glare she gets in returns. She hears something, and at first Jellal doesn't. Ultear picked up on it, too, and Jellal looks at them both with a scowl on his face._

 _"What?" He demands, and Meredy turns to look at him with a big grin on her face._

 _"It's go time!"_

 _As if on cue, the door is thrown open, and Jellal catches a glimpse of around a dozen magically armed guards surrounding the door._

 _"Hands up and knees on the ground!" The one in front commands before an elbow is sent flying into his gut. Ultear's smirk grows, and even magicless, as the guards shout and storm the room, she does not look worried and overpowers them with ease. Jellal, on the other hand, let's himself be pushed onto the ground by a guard, who barks in his ear so ferociously that Jellal feels drops of spit rain on his face. After a few seconds though, the guard is sent flying into the wall, and Meredy crouches in front of him._

 _"What are you doing?" She questions. "Come on!"_

 _She pulls Jellal off the ground with a grunt, and he is dragged towards the cell door, marveling at Meredy's strength._

 _"Too easy," Ultear mumbles as she walks through the door, inhaling a deep breath as the magic surges back into her body. And soon, Jellal is hit with the sensation as well. But no magic comes, just the sickening feeling that he is missing something but can't grasp it. He lets out a surprised gasp as his body finally registers the change of environment, as his body tries and fails to absorb the Ethernanos that have already returned to his companions._

 _"Jellal?" Meredy questions, her face full of worry._

 _"It's okay, Meredy." Ultear says. "It's just taking a while for him to adjust."_

 _Alarms are ringing all around them, but there are no more sounds of rushing feet. Prisoners are banging on the doors, obviously wondering what's going on, but Meredy no Ultear moves to free them as well. Out of all the prisoners, Jellal wonders, why did they have to free_ him _. He is hoisted onto Ultears back, who starts jogging through the hallways with Meredy right behind her._

 _Jellal's ears are ringing, his body aching, and stomach clenching. He barely notices that he's been picked up, and vaguey wonders if this is what Magic Deficiency Disease feels like. He wonders if he'll never be able to feel the rush of magic again, if he'll just feel the Ethernanos but never be able to utilize it again._

 _And then all there is is blackness, so dark that he feels he could slip into it and forget his own existence, and then he can't feel anything, except the dull rocking as he is being stolen from the prison._

* * *

Jellal paces around his cell, slowly walking from one gray wall to the next. It's difficult, with the chains shuffling along with him, never letting his legs become too far apart, but what else is he to do? There's nothing in this cell that could give him entertainment, not like he deserves it. Just a wooden cot broken by the termites that have long since abandoned the place and a pillow bitten by the moths circling around the flickering light above his head.

And the window. He has gotten used to the guard on the other side, always watching, always ridiculing. Even though the window is soundproof, so Jellal can't hear anything that's on the other side of the glass- which finds a way to stay sleek and polished, even on his side- he can imagine the man's thoughts.

He must pride himself, Jellal thinks bitterly, for being the guard that keeps the horrible Jellal Fernandes detained. And then, he remembers that he himself thinks that this is what he deserves, and he feels guilty for feeling otherwise. In a moment of anger, at himself and the world that must hate him, he glances towards the window, mustering up as much bravado he imagines a villain like he was should have.

Only the guard isn't there. Jellal blinks, confused. The guard's always there, whether alone or with others who find themselves giddy at looking at the ex-dark mage. He cautiously steps closer to the window, suddenly noticing the silence. Has it always been this quiet?

He doesn't know where his prison is- just that it's maximum security and that the cell's been all he's known for years. _Years_. How Jellal isn't insane is beyond him- maybe it's the universe's way of making sure he can face his memories- all of which he keeps tucked away in the cornes of his mind- with a conscious mind.

The same guard has been watching over him since he was imprisoned eight years ago, and he has _never_ left the room just outside of his. He peers past the glass, coming close but not touching it. The room is completely empty, but it couldn't have been for too long.

The door leading into it is swung open so Jellal can see into the dim hallway, and the chair that Jellal can barely see, as it is on the far side of the room, still swivels in place.

Keys jangle nearby and Jellal scrambles away from the window, although it doesn't matter. The cameras caught it all. It takes a while for his door to open, there must be _many_ locks, and by then Jellal is more curious than tense. Is he being moved to another cell?

His guard's head pops through the door, hardened eyes scanning through the room before landing Jellal. They light up a bit at the unbecoming sight, and his lips quirk upward as he regards Jellal with a small nod.

"You, come on." He swings the door open completely, and the rush of warm air takes Jellal by surprise. He had gotten used to the cold in his room- it must be the middle of winter- and the heat is unsettling. _It's sad_ , he thinks, _that such small changes disorient me so greatly_. But why wouldn't they? He's had no change in environment for a long time.

He follows the man out the door way, taking the moment to look at him up close. He was all pudge, with stubby legs and short arms that almost look _too_ short compared to his body, since he is almost as tall as Jellal. His thick fingers clench the key ring and he stuffs them into his front pocket before beginning to walk down the hallway. It's not big enough for the both to walk side by side, so Jellal walks behind. The guard's heavy footsteps nearly drown out the clanks of the chains that keep Jellal's movements limited as well as his magic.

"Where are we going?" Jellal asks, head snapping from side to side to take in his surroundings. Just bland gray walls with other doors holding prisoners of the same caliber as him.

"Prisoner's don't ask questions." The guard grunts, abruptly stopping at a larger door near the end of the hallway. Taking out his keyring again, he jabs the key into the hole and shoves open the door. He holds no grace at all- just brute force, although Jellal can tell that he's undoubtedly weak. But who is he to judge?

Jellal doesn't apologize or prod, for fear that either one could get him into trouble. The next corridor is wider, but Jellal doesn't move to walk side-by-side with the guard. They walk in silence, save for the heavy footsteps and clanking, until the walk through an archway into a large room.

It must be one of the main offices, Jellal guesses, for it is better furnished and well-kept unlike everything he's seen so far. Light floods through the grand windows all around him, the ground now carpet instead of cement. To his left is a polished desk, seemingly freshly stained, with a stone-faced woman manning it. She doesn't bother to look at them. Instead, she disappears into a room that's behind the desk.

"Call her in!" She yells, before coming back out. This time she spares a glance towards Jellal and the guard, seeming equally disgusted with both. She wipes her pale hands on her plum colored shirt, dark eyes ripping away from Jellal,

"Abel." She curtly greets, frowning.

"Avery." He responds just as rudely, and the conversation ends. If you could call it one. Opposite of Jellal, grand doors etched with beautiful patterns creak open, and a woman steps inside.

Suddenly the room becomes much smaller. The colorful rugs and wallpaper fade into obscurity. Abel and Avery's voices disconnect from his reality. And it's all drowned out by her loud hair.

Bright red hair that reminds Jellal of the sun falling from a blazing sky or crimson blood that many shed at his expense. _Why is she here? What does she want?_

Her lips move and she steps towards him, so he takes a step back.

"Jellal." She says, but he can't hear her. But he recognizes the familiar movement of her lips when she says his name. What does he look like right now? Crazy, probably, with him backing into the hall he just came from, but his small, afraid footsteps do nothing against her big strides.

"Go away." He says, or at least he thinks he does. He is still overwhelmed by the deafening silence that he might've just let out a horrified yelp and he wouldn't notice. But seeing how her brown eyes widen- so dull compared to her hair- and how they darken with hurt, he guesses he said what he meant to. And then he feels guilty.

And the guiltiness brings him back into reality, somehow, and the noise and colors return. The white curtains stand still. He can see the leather arm chairs in the corner of his eyes.

Abel eyes him with disregard, hands fumbling. He looks at Erza, eyeing her up and down. She certainly isn't dressed for the winter. Her simple black shirt cling to her body, exposing her midriff and a black skirt that falls to her knees. Oddly, she wears armored boots, and Jellal can see the hilt of a shortsword peeking at the top.

Abel eyes her hungrily, a smug grin creeping on his face. "Do you need me to escort you. I'd hate for a woman as beautiful as you to walk alone with this creep."

With unveiled disgust, Erza's eyes harden as she glares at Abel. She manages to keep her composure though, and Jellal marvels at how calm she is. Abel's outburst riled him, though he thinks he managed to hide it, and he barely had the self-control to stop his fist, chained or not, from colliding with Abels's face. How dare he speak to Erza that way?

"I'll be fine." Erza replies, an underlying threat to her words. Abel catches it and doesn't press any further.

Avery, with the ghost of a smile, clears her throat, and Erza steps towards the desk.

"Sign this." She instructs, and Erza looks up at her questionably.

"What is it?"

"It basically says that Jellal is now Fairy Tail's problem, until he finishes his sentence. You are here in Makarov's absence, aren't you?" She haughtily sniffs, smacking a pen on the document. "Hurry now."

Erza's eyes skirt over the paper, and with a few scribbles she's finished. "Here." She says, sliding the paper back to Avery. She ignores Erza, and instead turns to Abel.

"Well, go ahead."

Jellal looks confusedly to Abel and Avery- he refuses to meet Erza's eyes- for he had not been listening to the conversation and only caught useless bits and pieces. Another blink later, his shackles are on the ground.

 _What?_

The noise the shackles made echo against the wall, and Jellal looks at his wrists and ankles. No longer are they bound by the strict metal chains, and he suddenly notices how sore he is, before the feeling disappears. Magic reenters his body, surging into him all at once, making him stand a little taller and feel a bit better.

"You're free to go."

And at that, Jellal's left wrist feels something worse than the binding chains. It's the grip of Erza's hand as he's being dragged out the door.

* * *

"What horrible people they were." Erza says, walking ahead of Jellal. "Rude and cunning. They'd get their heads chopped off talking to a criminal how they do!"

They walk past many guards lining the hall, all of which mind Erza with a respectful nod or glance but immediately cast dirty, digusted looks at Jellal when she passes by. Feeling shamed, Jellal takes to looking at the ground in front of him, not letting himself make eye contact with anyone.

All he can see now is the red tips of Erza's hair to her feet. She doesn't walk gracefully like he always thought she would. He never got the chance to think of such a thing, with their previous meetings anything but lovely.

Instead, her footsteps are commanding, firmly planted into the ground. She walks like a leader, chin high and posture straight.

"Where are we going?" He asks, quietly.

"Home." Erza states simply, before stopping. She laughs awkwardly, turning around to face him. He keeps his eyes trained on the ground. "Though I suppose it doesn't hold the same title to you. I apologize. We're going to Fairy Tail."

She starts walking again, but Jellal stays where he is.

"I refuse." He says. Once again, Erza stops, her tone losing its cheerful tone.

"Excuse me?"

He forces his eyes to meet Erza's, and his eyes explore her face. "I'm not going to go." He repeats, frowning.

"Where else would you go?" Erza asks, confused and shocked. "Back to jail?"

"Yes." Jellal nods. The guards look on with badly hidden curiousity, making him embarrassedly shift his weight.

"I went through so much trouble to prove to get you out of this horrible prison!" She protests, frowning back at him with her arms crossed against her chest. " _Fairy Tail_ went through so much to get you out of jail. As if we haven't had enough to deal with already!"

"If you didn't have the time for me, you could've just leave me be." Jellal replies quietly, slightly hurt. Of course, he's just Fairy Tail's good deed. "I was perfectly fine."

"I didn't mean it like that." Erza says. "What I mean is, you can't just throw everyone's efforts away!"

"I didn't ask for those efforts. Although I appreciate them."

"Goodness Jellal!" Erza exasperatedly sighs, raising her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. She shakes her head, mumbling to herself before looking back up at him.

"Please." She murmurs. "Just, please come. You don't have to stay but I don't want to disappoint everyone."

Jellal blinks down at her, and she looks away from his blank glance.

What is wrong with her, he thinks. _What does she not understand about atonement? Why can't she leave me alone?_

For a moment, he considers walking back to the office and begging to be taken back to his cell. But then he looks at Erza again and sees the sadness she desperately tries to hide. He had done so much to Erza already. How could he consider betraying her, leaving her once more?

Is his atonement just a selfish aspiration to escape his problems? He's a coward, and she is not and he wonders how she does it. How can he be any more pitiful?

"Okay." He nods, half regretting it, half not. This is his true chance to atone for his actions, by reconciling with the people he hurt. Or at least try to. Why anyone would want to befriend him is beyond him, but Fairy Tail is a very forgiving guild, their weakness, and their strength.

Erza doesn't reply, but she turns around with a small smile on her face and walks a little quicker. Still maintaining the same distance as before, Jellal follows after her, feeling a little warmer himself.

Maybe it won't be too bad going to Fairy Tail, though he can't shake the feeling that it will.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **And there we go. Maybe you notice the change in writing around some point in the story. Still finding myself when it comes to writing style~ (cringe) and since I worked on it over a long period of time, different elements inspired me to pick back up all of which somehow influenced my writing. Don't worry, I didn't steal any lines (I don't think) but still. Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**  
 **Did Tsuki just *gasp* update a story?! I actually have like three updates on standby but they're not that good so I don't want to hurt your eyes with them, haha. Anyway, I know what I'm doing with this story, so...**

* * *

 _When he wakes up, he is in the forest, looking up at the swaying canopy of leaves, the occasional beam of sunlight shining through and hitting him in the face. His pain had receded to a dull ache, but when he moves to sit up, a jolt of pain surges through his entire body and he lets out a pained gasp._

 _"Wait, wait, wait! Don't move!" Meredy's face is suddenly over his, worriedly examining him. She obviously doesn't know what to do. "Ultear will be back soon- she'll know what to do."_

 _She plops onto the ground, crossing her legs with her eyes still on Jellal. "It's been two days if you were wondering. You're famous now- everyone is looking for you. The bounty on your head is the largest."_

 _She laughs to herself, even though Jellal doesn't find it funny. If they are found, he would probably have to fend for himself. Which, he can't. He doesn't voice this, though, fearing that speaking would only cause another round of searing hot pain to course through his body._

 _Meredy continues talking, and Jellal half-listens to her babbling as the_ minutes _pass. It's autumn, he notices, looking at the shimmering golden leaves above._

 _"Where are we?" Jellal croaks, and his throat aches but it's nothing compared to what he just went through._

 _"Some five miles away from your old prison. Close to Blue Pegasus- around two miles away."_

 _Only that far away? But, Jellal knows immediately what Meredy and Ultear are doing. Some sort of hiding in plain sight. Leave a mark in the forest and hightail out of there. A risky move- someone could easily find them. There's so much space between the trees and the crunchy leaves underneath them aren't to their advantage, but no matter. What option does he have but to trust them?_

 _"Ultear headed to a nearby town to get some medical supplies for you- it's awful really. Depriving criminal mages of_ Ethernanos _for so long. That's another thing- we plan to go to the king about the horrible conditions at your prison."_

 _"What?!" Jellal sits up, propping himself on his elbows. The shock from the absurdity of Meredy's statement is enough to cancel out the pain that follows, and Jellal looks at Meredy, mouth agape._

 _"What?" Meredy questions, head tilted._

 _"That's crazy! You can't just break someone out of prison, not to mention it was a kidnapping, and then go to the most influential man in Fiore and preach about injustice! There are lower courts that you can speak to, anyway! Why the king?" Jellal winces at the movement of his_ jaw, _and allows himself to slowly fall back to the forest floor._

 _"If we go to a lower court or the council, we'll be thrown in jail as soon as we walk in. The king is more amiable. And easier to manipulate."_

 _It's true, Jellal must admit, but that doesn't make the idea any less stupid. All that airhead king and_ princess _care about are the mage guilds and looking great for the public. Hell, the king's the commander in chief and yet he doesn't even use them to keep the kingdom safe. He puts all the work in the Magic Council's hands and takes the glory for it later. Jellal knows this firsthand. Nevertheless, the king is some good-for-nothing idiot that is nice enough, but stupid. More impressionable than amiable if you ask Jellal._

 _The crunching of leaves brings Jellal out of his thoughts and seeing as Meredy smiles at whoever is coming up from behind him, he knows that it's Ultear."How are you feeling Jellal?" Ultear asks, crouching down beside him._

 _"How are you feeling Jellal?" Ultear asks, crouching down beside him."Fine." He mumbles, clenching his jaw in an attempt to not seem hurt, but Ultear sees right through it._

 _"Fine." He mumbles, clenching his jaw in an attempt to not seem hurt, but Ultear sees right through it."Oh_

 _"Oh yeah, you're so tough." Ultear rolls her eyes, reaching into her knapsack to pulling out supplies that Jellal doesn't recognize. "How did you just go into town without anyone suspecting you?" Jellal forces, not bothering to mask the pain._

 _"How did you just go into town without anyone suspecting you?" Jellal forces, not bothering to mask the takes the last of the supplies and looks Jellal straight in the eyes._

 _Ultear takes the last of the supplies and looks Jellal straight in the eyes."I'm a master of_

 _"I'm a master of_ diguises _and alibis. You should know that." if Jellal weren't subject to such horrible pain, he would be strangling Ultear. But, since he is kind of relying on her to heal him, or at least make him feel a bit better, he just sighs and looks away._

 _If Jellal weren't subject to such horrible pain, he would be strangling Ultear. But, since he is kind of relying on her to heal him, or at least make him feel a bit better, he just sighs and looks away. He can suddenly feel Ultear using magic, and the suffocating feeling comes back. A blue orb floats between her hands, and as she brings it closer to his body the pain intensifies._

 _"Wait!" Meredy calls, grabbing Jellal's wrists. "He looks like he's about to die. Let me help him."_

 _She mutters an incantation Jellal can't hear, and suddenly the pain is reduced by half, and he takes a deep inhale, panting heavily. Then he notices Meredy silently suffering, a smile plastered on her face as she shivers with the jolts of pain Jellal had become familiar with. On his wrist, a glowing heart matched the one on hers and the realization dawned on Jellal._

 _Sensory link. He silently thanks Meredy for what she did, but could not bring himself to say it aloud. It's her fault he was in so much pain, anyway. Ultear mutters something that Jellal can't hear, warily eyeing Meredy, before getting to work. She murmurs something, an incantation, and the turquoise orb glows, she puts it near his heart, and Jellal grits his teeth as the throbbing pain intensifies. Suddenly, he feels nothing. He can't feel his fingers, his toes, his chest falling and rising as he takes quick breaths. He still hears and sees, but it's like he's been removed from his own body. He can't move, yet somehow he knows that Ultear realizes and that it's okay. Has she done this before? Slowly, feeling returns to the body, and he can feel the leaves under_ him _and Ultear's hand on his heart._

 _She hums some inquisitive sound, before turning to Jellal. "Dull, but it's there."_

 _She gets up and wipes her hands on her pants, satisfyingly taking in Jellal's condition- she's proud of whatever she just did. When Jellal sits up, he feels normal- no throbbing, no searing hot that takes the air out his lungs. The sensory link is gone, and Meredy has busied her with something else, not meeting Jellal's eyes. He flexes his fingers and pinches his arms but everything is fine. He looks at Ultear, who is repacking the supplies in the bag, complaining about how she didn't need any of them. "What did you just do?" Jellal, questions, standing up. He's still stretching, suspicious that he's perfectly fine from one simple spell._

 _"A renewal." Ultear answers. "I kind of changed the age of your magic without changing your age. Right now, you practically have no magic, but you'll slowly reabsorb it until you're at the level you used to be. How long that will take, though, I don't_ know."" _Huh," Jellal says, who can't help the energy he feels by finally being able to move again. "Pretty cool."_

 _"Huh," Jellal says, who can't help the energy he feels by finally being able to move again. "Pretty_ cool."" _Yeah, I know. Come on, time to get moving."_

 _"Yeah, I know. Come on, time to get moving."_

* * *

Jellal walks out of the prison, the harsh winter cold suddenly hitting him. He doesn't mind it much, and Erza knows him well enough to not question his comfort. She does well at staying quiet as they walk, barely saying a word, although every time he looks at her face he can tell just how much she wants to tell him.

The forest is gone- and the thought makes him somewhat sad. That forest was his home for who-knows-how-long and now it's been replaced with the bustling town they're heading towards. It's hard to make anything out, since they are so far away, but the buildings rise tall and trains roll through the exposed center, where the speck that must be a train station is. They reach the outskirts of the town in good time, strolling on the sides of the streets, taking in the beautiful architecture and polished shops.

"You haven't used your magic yet," Erza comments as they duck into some cafe not too far from the station.

 _Magic?_ Jellal thinks, before suddenly remembering he's a mage. "Oh."He shrugs, trying to think of an answer. "I guess I've just gotten used to not using it. I guess it is nice to have it back."

He shrugs, trying to think of an answer. "I guess I've just gotten used to not using it. I guess it is nice to have it back."He lets his magic roll through his fingertips, and little balls of light encircle his hand. Nodding his head, he does tell himself that he must relearn his magic, for he had forgotten most of it. He still hasn't reached his full potential, after all these years, but he's strong enough to be formidable.

He lets his magic roll through his fingertips, and little balls of light encircle his hand. Nodding his head, he does tell himself that he must relearn his magic, for he had forgotten most of it. He still hasn't reached his full potential, after all these years, but he's strong enough to be formidable."Your magic presence isn't that strong," Erza notices, and Jellal shrugs again. "Did the prison do that? Because that's horrible."

"Your magic presence isn't that strong," Erza notices, and Jellal shrugs again. "Did the prison do that? Because that's horrible."Jellal doesn't answer- he doesn't want to- and instead looks to the menu hanging on the wall. It's the best place to look- people have started to catch sight of him and the cafe had gone awfully quiet. Everyone was conflicted about seeing their mighty Titania and the horrid Jellal in the same room, especially right next to each other. Not fighting, no righteous punishment for the ex-dark mage... just grabbing a treat.

Jellal doesn't answer- he doesn't want to- and instead looks to the menu hanging on the wall. It's the best place to look- people have started to catch sight of him and the cafe had gone awfully quiet. Everyone was conflicted about seeing their mighty Titania and the horrid Jellal in the same room, especially right next to each other. Not fighting, no righteous punishment for the ex-dark mage... just grabbing a treat. Erza doesn't notice, and Jellal shakes his head. Still oblivious."Doesn't the apple pie look good?" Jellal asks, even though he doesn't like apple pie. It's just the first thing he saw on the menu and the sooner he diverts Erza's attention, the better.

"Doesn't the apple pie look good?" Jellal asks, even though he doesn't like apple pie. It's just the first thing he saw on the menu and the sooner he diverts Erza's attention, the better."I don't fancy apples too much," She says after a while, trying to let silence prod Jellal to speak. When he doesn't reply, she continues. "I would rather want the strawberry shortcake."

"I don't fancy apples too much," She says after a while, trying to let silence prod Jellal to speak. When he doesn't reply, she continues. "I would rather want the strawberry shortcake."Having decided this, she stepped into the short line, Jellal standing on the side of the counter as he waited for her to finish her business. A worker slides up next to him from behind the counselor.

Having decided this, she stepped into the short line, Jellal standing on the side of the counter as he waited for her to finish her business. A worker slides up next to him from behind the counselor."How did a filthy criminal like you score a babe like Erza?" He asked, giving him a sly look before studying Erza's figure. He's not afraid of Jellal (but after saying that, he should be) and elbows him. "Well? Help a brother out?"

"How did a filthy criminal like you score a babe like Erza?" He asked, giving him a sly look before studying Erza's figure. He's not afraid of Jellal (but after saying that, he should be) and elbows him. "Well? Help a brother out?"The punch is swift. Jellal turns around and delivers a firm undercut to the worker's jaw. By the time everyone's reacted, Jellal is walking out the door towards the train station.

The punch is swift. Jellal turns around and delivers a firm undercut to the worker's jaw. By the time everyone's reacted, Jellal is walking out the door towards the train doesn't take long for Erza to catch up, and when she's finally back beside him she's fuming. She firmly grabs Jellal's arm, yanking him back. He stumbles with a surprised yelp.

It doesn't take long for Erza to catch up, and when she's finally back beside him she's fuming. She firmly grabs Jellal's arm, yanking him back. He stumbles with a surprised yelp."What was that?!" She demands. "You just got out... I don't understand..."

"What was that?!" She demands. "You just got out... I don't understand..."Her words came out so fast that they all blended into an incoherent mess, and Jellal waits for her to finish sputtering before saying anything.

Her words came out so fast that they all blended into an incoherent mess, and Jellal waits for her to finish sputtering before saying anything. "He disrespected you." Jellal muttered, averting his eyes.

"He disrespected you." Jellal muttered, averting his eyes."That doesn't," Erza heaved a sigh, shaking her head. "That doesn't mean anything. You have to ignore people like him, not punch them. I had to threaten everyone in there to keep quiet- you could end up back in jail!"

"That doesn't," Erza heaved a sigh, shaking her head. "That doesn't mean anything. You have to ignore people like him, not punch them. I had to threaten everyone in there to keep quiet- you could end up back in jail!""That's fine with me." Jellal says, shrugging his shoulders. With another sigh, Erza holds up a small white box.

"That's fine with me." Jellal says, shrugging his shoulders. With another sigh, Erza holds up a small white box."What's this?" Jellal asks, and Erza puts it in his hand.

"What's this?" Jellal asks, and Erza puts it in his hand."My shortcake." Erza states. "It always makes me feel happy, maybe it would make you be sensible."

"My shortcake." Erza states. "It always makes me feel happy, maybe it would make you be sensible."

* * *

 **Author's Note**  
Bleh **, the ending. They're both so OOC! I hate that,** dbofhvbofd **. Better luck next time, I guess.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**

 **UWUWU! Another chapter because I was hit with a lightbulb! You won't see it now, but you'll see it soon. ;)**

* * *

 _"Jellal!" Meredy whispers, shaking his shoulders with a firm gentleness. "Come on."_

 _With a groan, Jellal sits up from his uncomfortable pallet and immediately began what had become the usual routine. Quickly pack up anything that they had unpacked and hightail from wherever they were._

 _The Magic Council recently started sending high profile mages after them, and apparently requests of their capture were sent out to the strongest guilds. Everyone knows what the trio looks like and that makes it impossible to travel by day._

 _Jellal throws the pallet to Ultear, who stuffs it under her arm before doing a last once-over of the dusty cellar that's been their home for a few days._

 _"Everyone ready?" She asks, and Jellal and Meredy nod. The one time they protested was met with a glare so powerful that Jellal and Meredy immediately became sheepish and, quite frankly, afraid. It only took that one instance for them to realize that Ultear's question was more synonymous to: "We're going right now, whether you like it or not," than anything else._

 _With a satisfied hum, Ultear saunters towards the one window that sits only a foot or so above her head. She pulls herself up to the ceiling, gripping onto the window sill with ease. With one incredibly fluid motion, she slides through the open window._

 _However, she is the only one to be able to do it with such adroitness. The window is small and narrow and Jellal knows that if he were in his best condition, he would not be able to fit. For once, he is appreciative of the skinny frame he had become during the time in prison. He hoists Meredy up, lifting her from her waist with a grunt._

 _Once she is through, he follows, rolling out onto the soft grass with a heaving breath. He can only see by the light of the moon and stars, the abandoned house he just emerged from seeming even more unsettling by itself in the large pasture than when they had found it a few afternoons ago._

 _Meredy is nothing more than a silhouette and Ultear, with her dark hair and now glowing eyes, looks like a demon more than ever. Jellal stands up, wiping the dust off his pants. They are surrounded by hills on each side, each adorned with large oak trees ascending towards the sky._

 _"Do you even know where we're going?" Jellal wonders aloud, his eyes meeting Ultear's. Meredy lets out a sigh- she has grown tired of the two's endless bickering over the past week and no matter how many times she tied to serve as a mediator, she could solve nothing._

 _However, Ultear does not show any hostility as she answers, and instead turns to her left as she lets out an inquisitive hum. "Vaguely. I plan to go to Crocus. And I'm sure it's this way… We'll see in a few days, no?"_

 _"Crocus?!" Jellal exclaims so loudly it's a wonder that do-gooders haven't already descended from the hilltops ready to handcuff the man. "Are you insane?"_

 _"Excuse me?" Ultear scowls, her head whipping towards Jellal. He takes a moment to curse his luck- he had been hoping she'd snap her neck._

 _"What are we going to do there?" Meredy quickly says, interfering before anything bad could happen. "Talk to the king?"_

 _"No, of course not." Ultear says and even though her voice has lowered, her eyes still linger on Jellal with ferocity. "He has yet to release a statement on this whole debacle. We need to know how to approach him before we actually do. Anyway, we're going to meet an acquaintance that won't, hopefully, sell us out."_

 _"It doesn't sound like you trust them," Jellal accuses, crossing his arms._

 _"He keeps his word- and we're in no position to be picky," Ultear decides to say, but even she doesn't sound wholly convinced. "And if he does test us, he will compensate with his life."_

 _"Who are we meeting with?" Meredy questions._

 _"Ivan Dreyer," Ultear says, beginning to walk to the west. "But enough questions! We should probably start going."_

 _"What do you mean?" Jellal scowls, pulling on Ultear's arm. "How have you gotten into contact with Ivan? He's one of the shiftiest men in Fiore! And_ where _exactly in Crocus are we meeting him? You don't even know what you're doing, do you?"_

 _Ultear's eyes narrow, slowly trailing down Jellal's arm before they rest where her sleeve is clutched by Jellal's hand._

 _"I said let's go," She repeats, but Jellal's grip doesn't even loosen._

 _"You can walk and talk at the same time, can't you?" Jellal seethes, and the two stare at each other until Meredy intervenes._

 _"You are not going to argue every single second!" She huffs, putting a hand on both their shoulders. "Let's be friends, okay?"_

 _While Jellal doesn't feel compelled to change, but apparently Meredy's words strike something in Ultear, who, with one last glare, yanks her arm away from Jellal and walks away without a word. Meredy, lingering for a second, looks back at Jellal, but decides to leave him to smolder._

 _Jellal follows just as the darkness makes the two disappear._

* * *

The train ride is long and silent. Jellal still holds the white box in his hands, though he has yet to open it. Erza's eyes fall on the small cake box every so often and she only looks away when she realizes Jellal is watching.

Finally, as the train slows to a stop that is not theirs, Jellal holds out the cake. "You know, you can have it if you want," He offers, although he supposes it's less of a gift and more of a return.

"No, it's fine," Erza says, shaking her head. Her hands are clenched in her lap, and he can tell that she had to force herself to keep from looking at the cake box.

"You obviously regret giving it to me," Jellal says, reaching out farther. The cake is just a few inches in front of Erza, and she bites her lip.

"Well," she says slowly, as if waiting for Jellal to change his mind. Her hands slowly leave her lap and come to hold the box, her hands on top of his. Her cheeks slowly pinken and she looks down. "If you insist…"

Jellal lets her take the box, his hands falling to his lap. "Yeah."

An awkward silence follows. Jellal looks outside the window until the constant view of trees bores him so he turns his attention to Erza, who pays him no mind as she silently eats her cake. Her red hair is still the same as when he last saw it. Her brown eyes still hold the same authority that masks her confusion, her mannerisms no different than when they were both kids.

She barely changed.

"It's like you haven't aged," He blurts as soon as the thought comes to mind and Erza looks up, her fork falling into the box. At first she seems shocked, but then her heartwarming smile appears and she picks up the fork, ready to take another bite of cake.

"A lot has happened," Is all she says.

"I could say the same."

When they arrive at Magnolia, it's mid-evening, streaks of oranges and pinks appearing in the sky as the sun begins to dip below the trees.

"Oh no," Erza murmurs to herself as they step out of the train station into the noisy streets of the city.

"What?" Jellal questions, his eyes trained on the large canal they're walking beside.

"I haven't thought of where you would stay," Erza admits, her cheeks coated with an embarrassed blush.

"With you?" Jellal suggests, seeing no shame in it until Erza's pink cheeks turn into a deep red.

"Of-of course not!" She stammers, her hands flying in front of her. "Be-Besides! I live in Fairy Hills and males are prohibited!"

"Well, I haven't any money, so what do you suggest?" Jellal asks.

"Well, I'm sure someone in the guild will be willing to let you stay with them."

"No."

"Why not?" Erza questions, having recovered from her wild thoughts quickly.

Jellal only shrugs, although he could name dozens of good reasons, but he decides to keep them to himself.

"I don't have enough money to rent out a space," Jellal states, eyes widening as he realizes that he has no money at all. "How much money do guild jobs pay?"

"It's easy to find one for a few thousand Jewel," Erza says, grateful for the change of topic. "Generally, the harder the job, the more money it pays. So, the stronger you are, the more money you make."

She looks at Jellal," You shouldn't have a problem."

Jellal grunts, tapping his finger against his leg. He cares nothing for the acknowledgement, he knows his capabilities. It'll take at least another year or two for his magic container to be as large as it was in his prime. He doesn't want to wait that long.

When he snaps out of his thoughts, he notices that Erza has drifted away from the center of the town and instead is heading towards the luscious hills that lie in the city's outskirts. The amount of buildings dwindles as they walk along, the stone walkways transitioning to hardly defined dirt paths.

"Are we taking the scenic route?" Jellal questions, turning behind him.

"No," Erza says, a small frown tugging at her lips. "We had to change locations."

"You don't seem happy about it."

"Because I'm not," Erza says, an edge of bitterness to her voice. She turns and offers him a smile to assure him that her resentment wasn't towards him, although he already knows it isn't. "But, it's nothing for you to worry about. It's being dealt with right now, I assure you."

Jellal nods, not bothering to prod. He isn't too interested, anyway. He still doesn't want to be here.

Eventually, they reach a small basin between to hills where a small farm lay near the back of the clearing. A small garden is enclosed by a weathered fence covered by wilting vines. A small stone pathway leads from the barn doors to just a few feet away from where Jellal and Erza stand.

Trees encase the small building with shade, except the windmill hovering above them. The Fairy Tail symbol hangs proudly right beneath it, the power associated with it completely foreign to the quaint place it's found itself in.

Jellal immediately decides that he likes it, but Erza's stoic expression reaffirms that she doesn't. They walk towards the building in silence and Jellal looks at the many wildflowers sprouting from patches of weeds in the otherwise well-maintained grass. A pile of logs sit near the doors of the new guild building, though there is no smoke coming from chimney.

The opening of the guild doors brings with it the unique cacophony of Fairy Tail- shouts, music, and rough collisions all blending into one wonderful, horrible symphony. And Jellal decides that maybe he doesn't like this place as much anymore.

But, the noise dies down quickly, as the members notice his presence. Jellal awkwardly shifts to his side, trying to hide behind Erza until he realizes that she isn't there.

"Erza did it!" Someone shouts, and the guild erupts into a symphony of cheers and Jellal brings himself to look around. Everyone seems friendly with their wide smiles and welcoming gazes. He spots some familiar faces, Lucy barely convincing Natsu to not bother Jellal, Wendy smiling at him with a book clutched to her chest, Gray watching everything unfold, and a few others that Erza had mentioned on the way here.

Erza reappears to his side, dragging him to the raised platform where the most of the guild sits. Wordlessly, she wards off anyone that gets too close and sits him at the bar. A smiling woman looks at him for a second before her eyes train on Erza.

"Good job, Erza," She commends, and Jellal tries to keep himself from scowling. He doesn't like how people speak as if he is a lost object that Erza retrieved. And why the congratulations, anyway? "Good job for bringing an ex-convict to our guild," is more like it, but Jellal knows that none of them feel that way. He's not sure they _can_.

"I didn't do this to be commended, but thank you, Mira," Erza shrugs, her eyes sliding to Jellal. Mira nods, her attention back on Jellal as she rummaged through a drawer.

"So, Jellal, how was the ride?" She asks, trying her best to keep her bright blue eyes on him even as she scowls because she can't find what she's looking for.

"Peaceful," Jellal answers, slightly leaning forward to see what Mirajane is searching for, but she slams the drawer shut to open another that he can't see without being obvious.

"Hardly," Erza snorts, and Mirajane gives her a brief questioning look. "He punched someone." Erza explains, and Mira laughs, her eyes searching Jellal for a confirmation.

"Seriously?" She asks, and Jellal huffs and looks away, which is a good enough answer. "That's badass of you."

"Replace badass with stupid," Erza mutters, and Mira's eyes light up.

"Of, found it!" She announces, holding out a stamp. She reaches towards Jellal, leaning on the counter. "Where do you want your guildmark?"

Jellal bites back the want to say," Nowhere." He had already decided he would give Fairy Tail a shot. Erza's tentative glare reminds him of that. He lets out slow exhale, and turns to his right, tapping his right hand against his exposed shoulder.

"Right here." He murmurs, and Mirajane nods.

"And what color?"

"Doesn't matter."

Mirajane shrugs, her mouth twitching into a smile before it's replaced with mock solemnity as she dips the stamp onto the ink pad before pressing it against Jellal's skin. It's cool enough to give him a chill, but it lasts for less than a second. By the time he blinks, Mira's hand has retracted.

"It's official," Mira smiles, though it was tainted with mirth instead of genuine happiness. Jellal narrows his eyes, about to question her, before again, the guild erupts into cheers. They had apparently been watching.

He looks at Erza, whose eyes are glued to his shoulder. Realizing that he hasn't taken the chance to look at it himself, he shifts his arm upwards so he can clearly see his guild mark.

It looks foreign on his skin, he expected that, but that isn't what surprises him. It's that the mark of the strongest guild in Fiore is colored a bright red- the same shade as Erza's scarlet hair.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Just so you know, this chapter didn't have meh lightbulb. The lightbulb won't reveal itself for a while, haha~. Anyway, if you must know, Jellal arrives back at the guild just after Wendy and the others return from visiting Porlyuscia (did I spell that right? Internet's acting up so I don't wanna search). And, obviously, Crime Sorciere doesn't exist! I felt the need to mention that. When it comes to matching my events with events in the actual story, I suck, so don't expect too much from me :3. Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**

 **Bleppity blep! That's all I have to say.**

* * *

 _The three walk through the dense forests covering the mountains in silence. The tall trees create an impressive canopy of thick leaves that shroud the forest floor in darkness- an eternal night. Even some animals let themselves be confused by the excessive shade. Countless owls stare down at Jellal, their yellow eyes tired but as threatening as their gleaming talons. Bats occasionally fly above them in frantic and unorganized masses that makes Jellal wonder whether if they are running from something but every time he turns behind him he can only see the thick tree trunks that he just walked through._

 _Eventually, Ultear stops, obviously as tired of this forest as everyone else. Without warning, she jumps and grabs a thick tree branch hanging above her, swinging herself up. Within a few moments, she is above the tree's leaves, out of sight._

 _"Should we follow?" Meredy wonders aloud, looking doubtfully at the tree branch Ultear first grabbed. It's unlikely that Meredy possesses the skill to climb up the tree without coming dangerously close to falling and Jellal knows that he is the same._

 _"She gave us no reason to," He answers, to save both of their egos. They'd just hold her back._

 _Meredy nods, her eyes tearing off the tree to look at Jellal. "Have you ever considered using your magic?"_

 _Jellal shrugs- he hasn't. It's been two weeks and his magic was coming in nicely. Strong? No. But he's getting there. "Nope, it's not like I'm in the best position to anyway."_

 _"I really think you should," Meredy insists. "You've got to relearn your magic- it'd be less dangerous to do that when you're not strong enough to accidentally gravely injure someone."_

 _She has a point. "You want to take time for some training camp?" He sarcastically says, rolling his eyes when Meredy's eyes brighten at the idea._

 _"Well, I don't think that's possible, but we could try something right now!" She suggests. "Since we're not doing anything. And your magic is literally light! You could light up this forest better!"_

 _Jellal shrugs- why not? He has nothing better to do and, while he wouldn't admit it, Meredy has a point. Losing control of his magic had never crossed his mind._

 _He sits on the ground, his legs crossed and hands on his knees. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, willing himself not to hear the sounds of the forest but instead the beat of his heart. He matches his breaths with his steady heartbeat, pushing the little magic he has outside of his body. Slowly, he feels himself warm as his magic shrouds him (and he's probably glowing). He has always been good at meditation- focusing has always been easy for him and it's no different now. He knows magic, in general, now he just needs to make sure he knows his own._

 _His magic condenses into a small orb of white light and when he peeks open his eyes he is momentarily blinded. He blinks rapidly, forcing tears back into his eyes, and waits for his eyes to adjust. When they do, he looks to Meredy, who's staring at the orb in awe._

 _"How'd you do that?" She excitedly says, her hand reaching towards it before she looks at Jellal. "Can I touch it?"_

 _"There's nothing to touch," Jellal answers. "My magic isn't exactly… tangible. It's just a light."_

 _"Oh," Meredy says, slightly disappointed, but she touches it anyway. Her fingers wiggle within the orb for a solid ten seconds before she concedes. "You're right, it doesn't feel any different. How'd you do that?"_

 _"Do what?"_

 _"The magic thing!" She exclaims, waving her hands around her as if it's a helpful explanation. "Your magic just… you were able to move magic!"_

 _"You're making no sense," Jellal huffs. What he did was perfectly normal- it's probably just because she's weird._

 _"Okay, okay," Meredy says, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "You can create and manipulate light. When magic power transforms it into light, you can mess with it. But you just manipulated_ raw magic power _!"_

 _"It's how my magic turns into light in the first place," Jellal says, shaking his head. "Everyone can do that."_

 _"Not externally," Meredy says. Just then, Ultear hops from the tree, looking at Meredy and Jellal with mild curiosity, her eyebrow raised._

 _"Looks like you guys are having fun," She notes and Jellal stands up, ready to dispel the orb of light so they can keep moving, but Ultear raises a hand, causing him to halt (to his chagrin)._

 _"Keep it, it's better for everyone," She says, before crossing her arms. "We're a dozen or so miles from the nearest town. If we move at normal pace, we'll arrive feeling comfortable in four hours. If we push ourselves to near death, we can halve that time. Which one?"_

 _Jellal snorts, he's in no rush. "Four hours." He declares, at the same time that Meredy says, "Two hours."_

 _Her apologetic eyes meet his glare, and she raises her hands in surrender. "Sorry! But I want to eat something than apples and sandwiches, okay?"_

 _Ultear smiles, nodding her head. "I, also, vote for two hours. Then? Let's get going."_

* * *

"Erza!"

Natsu bounds towards the redhead and Jellal, inserting himself between the two (not before throwing a sly glare to the ex-dark mage).

Erza, oblivious to it, looks at the dragon slayer with unveiled tiredness, even though Natsu hasn't even said what he needed to.

"We gotta train!" He declares, lifting his fists as if he just scored a major victory. "So, we can win the Grand Magic Games!"

"Well of course!" Erza agrees, vigorously nodding her head, before peering around him. "This would also be a good chance for Jellal to restore his strength!"

"What?!" Jellal and Natsu exclaim at the same time.

"I don't think I should come," Jellal says, shaking his head. "Um, thanks though."

"He's right," Natsu nods, and Erza seems taken aback.

"Nonsense!" She shouts. "You will come with us, Jellal!"

She turns to Natsu. "When are we leaving?"

Natsu scratches his head, looking around the guild. When he finds who he's looking for, his eyes brighten and he steps away from the two, "accidentally" knocking into Jellal as he does so. Other than making Jellal flinch, it does nothing, and Erza doesn't notice.

"I'll ask Lucy," Natsu says, running back to where we came from. Erza turns back to Jellal, a smile on her face.

"Isn't this exciting? An adventure already!"

"Exciting? No," Jellal denies, shaking his head. "Um, it's a lot, though."

"You'll come to appreciate these random adventures soon," Erza dismisses, although her enthusiasm has dimmed. Natsu runs back towards them, dragging Lucy along.

The blonde makes no effort to escape, although her face makes it clear that she does not appreciate Natsu's firm grip on her wrist. However, when she sees Jellal looking at her, her face brightens and she smiles at him.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" She greets, her tone cheery and bouncy. She radiates sunshine and rainbows- something Jellal already finds a little annoying.

"Yeah," He nods, eyes sliding away from hers. "Thanks!"

"Lucy here wants to tell you how much she wants Team Natsu to go training," Natsu tells Erza.

Lucy cocks her head, putting her fingers on her chin. "Not just Team Natsu, of course! Didn't Erza want Jellal to come along?"

Natsu glares at her as subtlety as he can, and Lucy winks at Jellal as if she just did him a favor- she didn't. He pretends as if he didn't notice her and instead focuses on the bar counter as if he could sink into it.

"Yes, Jellal wants to go!" Erza says.

"Not true," Jellal mutters, but either Erza ignores him or she didn't hear.

"Then we will go now!" Lucy declares, punching a sulking Natsu on the shoulder. "To the beach!"

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Whoop! I think I'll either update this or** ** _Enchanted_** **next.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**

 **WHOOP! Oh, and to the guest reviewer: The sentences repeated because of problems with formatting when I uploaded the document to the site... and when I noticed I was too pooped to do anything about it, haha. Thanks for pointing it out- maybe I'll fix it one day...**

* * *

 _They speed through the forest, hopping from tree to tree as fast as they can, all three of them hoping that their legs will be strong enough to propel them until they reach their destination._

 _At least, Jellal is. His mind is torn between two things- his orb of light and the trees before him. It's his job to make sure no one slams into a tree because they don't notice it until they collide, but the lack of magic makes his body weaker than it already is. The concentration it takes is too much and he can barely pay attention to his movements without the light flickering as if threatening to disappear._

 _Sweat covers his skin even though they've only been moving this quickly for no more than twenty minutes. Ultear, as usual, is graceful in everything that she does. It looks like she's making no effort, even though she is greatly overpowering her companions as she bounds forward. Meredy struggles almost as much as Jellal does and Jellal has taken to staying to her side, since she often slips as if she is going to plummet at any moment._

 _The movement is subconscious and Jellal doesn't question himself on why, exactly, he is actively trying to protect Meredy until it's too late to play off their proximity on coincidence. She must've trying to not be obvious with her constant slip-ups, because she blushes embarrassingly when she notices Jellal by her side and tries to shake him off to prove she's fine, but she can't._

 _No matter how taxing, Jellal isn't going to let himself be bested by a girl that's_ at least _four years younger than he is. She has such a baby face, and she's small, but she's so mature and capable that she does leave Jellal wondering._

 _The two try their best to keep up with Ultear, who does not slow the entire journey even though she carries the heaviest load, and fare well enough. She doesn't stop until they reach the end of the forest, suddenly dropping from the tree she crouched on and landing on the ground with ease. Jellal had not even noticed the edge of the forest, until he heard Ultear call out to him, and he jumps out the forest, hurtling towards the hill with a strangled shout. He flails in the air, trying his best to flip to his side and he covers his head with his hands, grimacing as he braces for impact._

 _Meredy starts to scream his name but her voice is cut off- Ultear probably reminded her that they are only a hundred or so yards from the city. Jellal feels the rush of magic enter his body as the orb dissipates because of his franticness, but his mind can't formulate a spell that would lessen the impact and pain as the distance between him and the ground lessens._

 _He only hopes that Ultear would be willing to heal any major injuries he might get from his reckless mistake._

 _Suddenly, his face is buried in dirt and an utter of pain leaves his lips before the impact knocks the wind out of his lungs. The rest of the tumble is significantly less painful, since the hills have nothing but soft grass. He lets himself roll to the bottom of the hill, his shock quickly turning into embarrassment as he slows. He stops soon, his body sore and he looks up into the sky, listening to the sound of footsteps drawing near to him._

 _"Jellal," Meredy loudly says, nearly tripping over herself as she moves quickly down the hill. Ultear follows behind her in a casual jog, a large smile on her face. She doesn't even pretend to be concerned. "Are you okay?"_

 _Jellal sits up with a small wince, and he places his bruising arm on the back of his head, flicking out the blades of grass with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, thanks."_

 _"Is anything broken? Fractured?" Meredy worries, cautiously touching his back and arms, looking at him intently as she waits for a startled yelp._

 _Jellal shakes his extremities and cocks his head side to side, shaking his head. "No, I'm good."_

 _"How did you even-" Meredy starts, her hands flying into the air before quickly falling back to her sides with a thud. "How?"_

 _"My attention was displaced," Jellal shrugs, letting Meredy pull him up. He winces again and Meredy notices._

 _"Maybe we should let you rest for a while," Meredy suggests, looking at Ultear for approval._

 _"We don't have time," Ultear snorts. "He'll have to bear with it."_

 _"Ultear, come on!"_

 _"I'm fine," Jellal says, throwing Ultear a glare before looking more softly at Meredy. "Really, I am. Thanks, though."_

 _Meredy obviously doesn't approve, but she silences herself and sulks as she walks. The city is really more of a town. Groups of cottages form squares, each house sharing a wall with another and no spot of green can be seen within the place. It's all a mixture of drab colors- gray and brown- and Jellal can't imagine_ wanting _to live here._

 _As they enter the town through a small, dark alleyway between a cottage and a church. Ultear, with a sigh, swings the large knapsack off her shoulder and it falls onto the ground, a cloud of dust and grim rising into the air because of it. She takes out a small makeup kit and a few other things, excusing herself to a small corner of the dead-end where garbage blocks Jellal and Meredy's view of her._

 _Jellal and Meredy lean against the wall, silent in case someone is close enough to overhear. After a few minutes, Ultear reemerges but as a completely different person._

 _Thanks to a wig, her hair is now auburn and makeup makes her look two shades lighter. Her lips are ruby red and her cheekbones defined and sharp. She scowls as she tries to loosen the neckline of her shirt- a turtleneck with a cutout that serves anyone willing to look a nice amount of cleavage._

 _Meredy notices her discomfort, and her eyes dart from side to side before she whispers to Ultear. "I could go this time if you want."_

 _"It's fine," Ultear grumbles._

 _"Yeah, she loves the chance to play dress-up," Jellal mumbles, pulling himself on top of a window ledge of the church. The stained glass is impossible to see through and it's big enough to fit both him and Meredy, who climbs up after him._

 _Ultear rolls her eyes, and waves, disappearing out of the alleyway, ready to properly enter the town. From the window ledge, Meredy and Jellal hoist themselves to the top of the building. The church is as squat as every other building here, and it takes no time until they're on the roof, looking over the quiet town from behind one of the church's thick spires._

 _"Where are we, anyway?" Meredy wonders, her eyes darting over the town until her eyes zone in on a bakery advertisement in the small courtyard in front of the church. "Oh, Dahlia Town! That's a pretty name, don't you think?"_

 _Jellal shrugs, he doesn't care. Dahlia Town is quiet- he can see nobody within his range of sight, even at the cluster of shops at the far side of town. For a moment, he thinks that maybe this is some sort of worship day, but when he listens as closely as he can, he realizes that even the church below him is quiet._

 _"Hey, do you want to check this church out?" He asks Meredy._

 _"What if someone's in there?"_

 _"I doubt there is."_

 _"Ultear might get mad."_

 _"I don't care."_

 _Meredy remains hesitant, her eyes warily peering over the edge of the church roof. Jellal shrugs- it's not as if he expected her to join him, but he didn't want to leave unannounced- and skids down the roof until he reaches the edge. "Well, I'm going."_

 _Shakily, he leans over the edge, tucking his feet in the drain running along the roof before hanging the rest of him off it to peak into the large window in the center of the church, just above the door. The room is dim, the window its only source of light, and full of books and tables that make Jellal wonder if this is actually a library. The room's emptiness further convinces him that this is a ghost town, and she flips off the room, managing to land on his feet but his body shudders with a mild pain as if to remind Jellal of the accident he just had._

 _Jellal looks around him one more time before pushing open the doors of the church._

* * *

The three arrive at their motel just as the stars begin to twinkle as the sun slowly dips under the ocean water, casting beautiful swirls of pinks and oranges across the sky and water as it beguiles the world one last time before it disappears, leaving half of Earthland in the moon's company until it rises again.

Lucy's eyes linger on the sky as they wait outside the motel for Gray and Erza, who goes inside to check in before they go out to eat. Even Natsu's silent- and he watches Lucy contentedly, a soft smile on his face. Uncomfortable with the two and their over-sentimental gazes, he decides that Erza is taking too long and he does not want to be in the company of these hopeless romantics.

"I'm taking a walk," he quietly announces, doubting they could hear him or even react if they do. He walks towards the beach as most people leave it, cringing at the constant sound of children whining to their parents about how they desperately want to play in the sand for "a few more minutes". Somewhere along the way, Jellal finds himself amid many groups of friends and couples exuberantly hurrying to the water, their excited voices loudening what would be a quiet evening.

They're so involved with themselves that they don't notice Jellal, to his luck, and so he walks along the beach in peace, letting the cool water wash against his ankles. Even without the sun to amplify its brilliance, the water still sparkles as the stars' light pinprick the stirring ocean. The scene is as picturesque as Jellal's situation is cliché- walking along the beautiful beach alone when everyone else is bonding.

Too bad he doesn't care.

He doesn't walk too far, so his company won't have to wait for him or look for him, his heart warming a bit knowing that they would without hesitation. It makes him walk back to the hotel with some motivation, though no one would be able to tell. He's glad to find Team Natsu waiting in the same spot he had left them in, only Gray and Erza had joined Natsu and Lucy outside.

Gray is the first to notice him, and he nudges Erza, whose scanning eyes snap onto Jellal's.

"Found him," Gray says, patting Jellal on the shoulder as he passes. The contact is strange and Jellal subtlety withdraws from Gray's touch, not used to such casual touch, especially since he barely knows the Ice Mage.

"Have I kept you waiting long?" Jellal worries, his eyes furrowing. Erza's hard eyes soften at his kind features and Jellal knows that he had managed to avoid what could've been a harsh scolding.

"No," she sighs, shaking her head. "I just got the room keys. We just didn't know where you had gone, that's all."

Jellal's eyes wander to Lucy and Natsu. "I told them I was going on a walk."

"You didn't hear him," Erza asks Lucy and Natsu and the blonde shakes her head.

Natsu, however, makes a non-committal shrug. Erza's eyes narrow, but again, she shakes her head and begins walking towards the inner city.

"Come on, let's go find someplace to dine."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **This chapter sucks. Oh well, training in the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**

 **So um? I went to add this chapter and the story was gONE! I was all like WTF! because I don't remember deleting it... I mean this is my most active story so I don't know what happened and it's bothering me! And no other stories were deleted so it's really weird? And I don't even save my documents onto my computer... they're all on this website so I'm glad the previous chapters are still there (maybe now I'll start using Word instead of Copy and Paste...). Anyway, this chapter isn't good and it really isn't important so you might as well just sKIP IT! If you read it though, thanks. I don't know what I want Jellal to be like... he's OOC as fuck so far, haha. He's had like three different identities in the actual anime and my version of him isn't like any of those three. I'ma toy with his character some more until I figure it out. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _They speed through the forest, hopping from tree to tree as fast as they can, all three of them hoping that their legs will be strong enough to propel them until they reach their destination._

 _At least, Jellal is. His mind is torn between two things- his orb of light and the trees before him. It's his job to make sure no one slams into a tree because they don't notice it until they collide, but the lack of magic makes his body weaker than it already is. The concentration it takes is too much and he can barely pay attention to his movements without the light flickering as if threatening to disappear._

 _Sweat covers his skin even though they've only been moving this quickly for no more than twenty minutes. Ultear, as usual, is graceful in everything that she does. It looks like she's making no effort, even though she is greatly overpowering her companions as she bounds forward. Meredy struggles almost as much as Jellal does and Jellal has taken to staying to her side since she often slips as if she is going to plummet at any moment._

 _The movement is subconscious and Jellal doesn't question himself on why, exactly, he is actively trying to protect Meredy until it's too late to play off their proximity on coincidence. She must've been trying to not be obvious with her constant slip-ups because she blushes embarrassingly when she notices Jellal by her side and tries to shake him off to prove she's fine, but she can't._

 _No matter how taxing, Jellal isn't going to let himself be bested by a girl that's_ at least _four years younger than he is. She has such a baby face, and she's small, but she's so mature and capable that she does leave Jellal wondering._

 _The two try their best to keep up with Ultear, who does not slow the entire journey even though she carries the heaviest load, and fare well enough. She doesn't stop until they reach the end of the forest, suddenly dropping from the tree she crouched on and landing on the ground with ease. Jellal had not even noticed the edge of the forest until he heard Ultear call out to him, and he jumps out the forest, hurtling towards the hill with a strangled shout. He flails in the air, trying his best to flip to his side and he covers his head with his hands, grimacing as he braces for impact._

 _Meredy starts to scream his name but her voice is cut off- Ultear probably reminded her that they are only a hundred or so yards from the city. Jellal feels the rush of magic enter his body as the orb dissipates because of his franticness, but his mind can't formulate a spell that would lessen the impact and pain as the distance between him and the ground lessens._

 _He only hopes that Ultear would be willing to heal any major injuries he might get from his reckless mistake._

 _Suddenly, his face is buried in dirt and an utter of pain leaves his lips before the impact knocks the wind out of his lungs. The rest of the tumble is significantly less painful since the hills have nothing but soft grass. He lets himself roll to the bottom of the hill, his shock quickly turning into embarrassment as he slows. He stops soon, his body sore and he looks up into the sky, listening to the sound of footsteps drawing near to him._

 _"Jellal," Meredy loudly says, nearly tripping over herself as she moves quickly down the hill. Ultear follows behind her in a casual jog, a large smile on her face. She doesn't even pretend to be concerned. "Are you okay?"_

 _Jellal sits up with a small wince, and he places his bruising arm on the back of his head, flicking out the blades of grass with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, thanks."_

 _"Is anything broken? Fractured?" Meredy worries, cautiously touching his back and arms, looking at him intently as she waits for a startled yelp._

 _Jellal shakes his extremities and cocks his head side to side, shaking his head. "No, I'm good."_

 _"How did you even-" Meredy starts, her hands flying into the air before quickly falling back to her sides with a thud. "How?"_

 _"My attention was displaced," Jellal shrugs, letting Meredy pull him up. He winces again and Meredy notices._

 _"Maybe we should let you rest for a while," Meredy suggests, looking at Ultear for approval._

 _"We don't have time," Ultear snorts. "He'll have to bear with it."_

 _"Ultear, come on!"_

 _"I'm fine," Jellal says, throwing Ultear a glare before looking more softly at Meredy. "Really, I am. Thanks, though."_

 _Meredy obviously doesn't approve, but she silences herself and sulks as she walks. The city is really more of a town. Groups of cottages form squares, each house sharing a wall with another and no spot of green can be seen within the place. It's all a mixture of drab colors- gray and brown- and Jellal can't imagine_ wanting _to live here._

 _As they enter the town through a small, dark alleyway between a cottage and a church. Ultear, with a sigh, swings the large knapsack off her shoulder and it falls onto the ground, a cloud of dust and grim rising into the air because of it. She takes out a small makeup kit and a few other things, excusing herself to a small corner of the dead-end where garbage blocks Jellal and Meredy's view of her._

 _Jellal and Meredy lean against the wall, silent in case someone is close enough to overhear. After a few minutes, Ultear reemerges but as a completely different person._

 _Thanks to a wig, her hair is now auburn and makeup makes her look two shades lighter. Her lips are ruby red and her cheekbones defined and sharp. She scowls as she tries to loosen the neckline of her shirt- a turtleneck with a cutout that serves anyone willing to look a nice amount of cleavage._

 _Meredy notices her discomfort, and her eyes dart from side to side before she whispers to Ultear. "I could go this time if you want."_

 _"It's fine," Ultear grumbles._

 _"Yeah, she loves the chance to play dress-up," Jellal mumbles, pulling himself on top of a window ledge of the church. The stained glass is impossible to see through and it's big enough to fit both him and Meredy, who climbs up after him._

 _Ultear rolls her eyes, and waves, disappearing out of the alleyway, ready to properly enter the town. From the window ledge, Meredy and Jellal hoist themselves to the top of the building. The church is as squat as every other building here, and it takes no time until they're on the roof, looking over the quiet town from behind one of the church's thick spires._

 _"Where are we, anyway?" Meredy wonders, her eyes darting over the town until her eyes zone in on a bakery advertisement in the small courtyard in front of the church. "Oh, Dahlia Town! That's a pretty name, don't you think?"_

 _Jellal shrugs, he doesn't care. Dahlia Town is quiet- he can see nobody within his range of sight, even at the cluster of shops at the far side of town. For a moment, he thinks that maybe this is some sort of worship day, but when he listens as closely as he can, he realizes that even the church below him is quiet._

 _"Hey, do you want to check this church out?" He asks Meredy._

 _"What if someone's in there?"_

 _"I doubt there is."_

 _"Ultear might get mad."_

 _"I don't care."_

 _Meredy remains hesitant, her eyes warily peering over the edge of the church roof. Jellal shrugs- it's not as if he expected her to join him, but he didn't want to leave unannounced- and skids down the roof until he reaches the edge. "Well, I'm going."_

 _Shakily, he leans over the edge, tucking his feet in the drain running along the roof before hanging the rest of him off it to peak into the large window in the center of the church, just above the door. The room is dim, the window its only source of light, and full of books and tables that make Jellal wonder if this is actually a library. The room's emptiness further convinces him that this is a ghost town, and she flips off the room, managing to land on his feet but his body shudders with a mild pain as if to remind Jellal of the accident he just had._

 _Jellal looks around him one more time before pushing open the doors of the church._

* * *

They arrive at the beach just as stars start to decorate the sky, the sunset's oranges and pink disappearing as quickly as the sun. Juvia and her team quickly rent a nice shack right on the beach before Team Natsu has the chance to, so instead, they find a cheap motel to stay in.

Lucy and Erza buy the nicest room for themselves, something that Gray has a large issue with, with the reasoning that the Natsu would just trash it and Gray couldn't have it because then Natsu would _definitely_ trash it, so the two boys storm off somewhere together before splitting up because they already couldn't stand each other's company. When Lucy tells Jellal what his room number is, he briskly thanks her and leaves the hotel. The girls turn in for the night so they'll be super energized for training the next day after wishing Jellal an enjoyable time in whatever endeavor he was leaving for.

He's going to the beach.

It's only a five-minute walk away, if even, and there are still people splashing in the water when he arrives. It's not until his feet are in the sand that he realizes that he's not in what's considered beach attire, but it's not like he has any anyway. So, he sits down just above the wet sand so that the water won't drench his bottom when the waves desperately try to engulf the land.

He idly sits with his legs outstretched so the water can barely reach the heels of his feet, his mind wandering to other things.

His to-do list. Fairy Tail is apparently bad at planning, for he can't support himself and doubts he could ever find himself a job on his own. He's still in the surprisingly quite stylish jail suit he left in, its bland white cotton decorated with bright red patterns- a sign to everyone that he's dangerous. They fit him well, and his shoes are comfy, so he's never bothered to complain. Another outfit would be nice, though.

And with this new training thing, he certainly won't be able to get any money for himself (without stealing, which is bad) and Erza had mentioned that her team's funds are a little tight. With a long exhale, he scoots farther back so they warm water can no longer reach him, and stares at the sand.

After a few seconds, he digs his hand in the sand, molding it into something he _hopes_ looks like a castle- it gets even harder to tell as the sun sets further- using his finger to carve out little doors and windows on the small structure, digging a small moat around it with a small smile on his face.

He's never done this before, but when he sits back and tries his hardest to admire his work, he thinks he fared reasonably. Mentally declaring the pathetic thing Jellal's Kingdom in a rare moment of inspiration, he stands up and wipes the sand off his body, washing his feet in the ocean before putting his shoes back on and heading back to the motel.

Upon arriving at his room, he removes the key Erza had handed him before from his pocket, unlocking the door with a small sigh. He nudges the door open, surprised to find the light still on until he figures out why.

Natsu is laying on the bed, his legs sprawled across the large mattress so that no one else could comfortably sleep without crushing one of his limbs. And though his eyes are tightly shut, _too tightly_ , Jellal knows he's awake because Gray is looking at them both with a confused expression.

"He just collapsed," Gray says, shaking his head at the dragon slayer. A magazine is in his hands, his clothes discarded on the floor, and Jellal doesn't take the time to answer. He slams the door shut and sighs _again_ , and drags himself up another flight of stairs to another door.

He softly knocks, praying that someone will be awake, and within a moment he hears the soft pattering of feet through the thin walls before the door swings open.

The first thing Jellal notices is that Lucy is _not_ a pretty sleeper. He golden locks all point in a different direction, with some hair glued to her face by dribble and the rest by sweat. Her shirt, which was perfectly ironed earlier, is crumbled and wrinkled, with one side of it hiked up to her mid stomach. She had exchanged her skirt for a comfy pair of shorts, which are the only thing in shape.

Her dull eyes barely Jellal and she mumbles what must be a greeting before beckoning him inside. Erza snores on the sofa in the corner of the motel room, and Lucy has taken the bed, the sheets half on the floor and the back of the bed like she has been spending the night kicking the cover off her bed. When her eyes lock on the bed, she completely forgets Jellal and shuffles towards it with a few more incoherent mumblings before falling back asleep the moment her head hits the pillow. Jellal silently picks up the discarded blankets and quickly creates a pallet in the back corner of the room, stealing the cleanest of Lucy's pillows.

And then, he too went to sleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **This chapter sucks. Oh well, training in the next chapter!**


End file.
